ATHENS, Greece — On Friday, Greek law enforcement reported that an explosion occurred in an apartment in Athens, resulting in the death of a man and serious injuries to a woman, likely due to an improvised explosive device.

According to a police statement, investigators combing through the damaged apartment discovered two firearms along with ammunition, as well as mobile devices and other forms of digital evidence. The inquiry is being handled by the specialized unit that deals with violent crimes.

Emergency responders from the fire department worked rapidly Thursday afternoon to rescue the injured woman from the debris. In their search for additional victims using sniffer dogs, they later located the deceased man’s body, as reported by fire officials.

Authorities confirmed that the woman is a Greek national, while the identity of the deceased man remains unverified, and no additional information regarding her has been disclosed.

The explosion occurred in Ambelokipi, a central residential area of the city, where it caused the destruction of both internal and external walls of a third-floor apartment, resulting in the balcony railings being blown away and adjacent apartments suffering damage.

Greece has a long-standing backdrop of far-left extremist activity, often linked to small urban factions, and organized crime has been involved in minor bombings and targeted assassinations over the years.

The main extremist organizations behind a series of killings from the mid-1970s until the early 2000s have been dismantled, with their members now incarcerated. Following their decline, smaller, less effective groups have emerged, primarily conducting bomb attacks targeting symbols of governmental authority and wealth. However, these groups have remained largely inactive in the past few years.